Relationship between Transcutaneous and Arterial Carbon Dioxide Tension in Adult Patients Anesthetized with Nitrous Oxide-Fentanyl and Nitrous Oxide-Enflurane

Abstract

The transcutaneous technique of measuring carbon dioxide tension (tcP_CO2) was studied in 30 adult neurosurgery patients undergoing nitrous oxide-enflurane or nitrous oxide-fentanyl anesthesia to determine the relationship between tcP_CO2 and Pa_CO2 tcP_CO2 was an accurate (r = 0.9) and clinically useful trend indicator of Pa_CO2. The ability to detect trends was unaffected by the type of anesthetic agent used. The technique was less useful in predicting absolute values for Pa_CO2 (r = 0.64). This technique may be particularly useful in situations in which control of Pa_CO2 is essential to patient management.